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From June 1997 until the present, the Namies have led the first and only U.S. organization dedicated to the eradication of workplace bullying that combines help for individuals via our websites & over 12,000 consultations, telephone coaching, conducting & popularizing scientific research, authoring books, producing education DVDs, leading training for professionals-unions-employers, coordinating national legislative advocacy, and providing consulting solutions for organizations.

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July 8th, 2010

Murder by Proxy doc film premiered July 8

The previously announced documentary Murder by Proxy premiered July 8 in Royal Oak, Michigan at the Main Arts Theatre (Landmark Theatres). The film explores the role that a toxic work environment can play in the build-up to workplace homicides while mainly focusing on the US Postal Service. The star is 39 yr. veteran letter carrier Charlie Withers. Experts include criminologist Alan Fox, social psychologist Gary Namie and psychiatrist Michael Welner.

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This documentary was insightful as to what nay happen when management is allowed to harass employees for profit and productivity. I have been a letter carrier at the Royal Oak Post Office for 16 years and know first hand how supervisors try to use harassment and intimidation to make their numbers. I certainly don’t condone violence in the workplace, but I do understand how someone may feel there is no other way. The interviews with my fellow carriers and with the psychologist and psychiatrist gave the realization as to how management turned a normal and well adjusted person into a mass killer.

Good performers are a huge target because they do not want someone doing a better job than them. I’m not sure if it is insecurity or what, but most of my experiences have been with people who do a better job at bullying than they do at actually doing their jobs.

I was working at the post office in 1991 when this happened. Tom Mcllvane (the killer) was mentally unstable. All of us who worked with him knew this well before he came in and shot everyone. How he got hired in the first place I never could figure out. Yes, management was difficult at the time. However, I don’t care if the punched Tom in the face when they told him he was fired. To go back and kill the people who fired him shows he’s mentally unstable. You can’t justify that. And anyone who trys to is desensitized to murder because they are watching too many murder movies. Tom Mcllvane is in hell where he belongs. That’s justice!

Lisa, are you the Lisa in the film? Charlie certainly walks the tightrope well in describing the “story behind the story” without condoning what McIlvane did. You are so right about our violence-thirsty culture and how we take for granted all the minor episodes of violence leading up to an explosive incident. I’m sorry that you have had to live with the Royal-Oak memories.